


Tantrum

by Lwoorl



Series: DC Shifters AU [9]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Gen, Transformation, shifters au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 10:53:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16871614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lwoorl/pseuds/Lwoorl
Summary: Jason refuses to shift back, Bruce is out of his depth.Shifters AU: Read information of the series to learn more, but all you need to know is some people can turn into objects and they're called shifters.





	Tantrum

**Author's Note:**

> Words! Enjoy!

“Jason, I don't know what you think you can accomplish with this, but it won't work.”

 

“Do you really think throwing a tantrum is going to change my opinion?”

 

“If this is so important for you then we should talk this through, I'm not opposed to negotiate, but what you're doing here is selfish and childish.”

 

“You can't like doing this, just stop.”

 

“Just… Do you really think this is the right way to go about the problem, Jason?”

 

“If you keep this up I will have to ask J'onn to force you to shift, do you really want this to go that far?”

 

Bruce sighs. This isn't going to work, again. He scrubs his thumb against the metal of the handle and looks helpless at the sword.

A week ago Batman and Robin came back from a mission, with Jason arguing all the way back about how Bruce should have used him that night.

“You- Heck, _we_ almost died fighting them barehanded! If you had had a weapon with you-”

This wasn't a new argument by any means, ever since he became Robin Jason has been pushing for Bruce to use him more as a weapon, and it's only been getting worse with time.

That night, the argument continued into the cave and at some point, Bruce isn't sure how they got there, but at some point the kid just stopped. Jason stood there and said.

“You know what. I had enough of you not listening to me.”

He very calmly walked to the computer and left the cape and the mask on the chair, then went to sit on the floor. “If you won't listen then I won't talk until you apologize and promise to use me for _something._ ”

With that he just took off the communicator from his ear, left it on the floor beside him, and turned into a Rapier.

Jason hasn't changed to human since then, and to say it's making Bruce anxious would be an understatement.

After it became clear he was actually going to go with this longer than an hour they moved him upstairs. Alfred arranged a place near the fireplace, and he's been resting there since then, settled on some cushion on top of a coffee table.

From time to time Bruce or Alfred will sit with him and read out loud from one of Jason's books, but other than that the most he can do is leave him with a radio, or move the TV to where he knows Jason will be able to see it and put on a movie.

A part of Bruce wonders if he's enabling him; If he left Jason alone the kid would probably give up soon, but he knows how damaging it can be for the human mind not to have any stimuli for long periods of time, so honestly, even if this is something Jason's doing by his own volition that is not really an option.

He's tried to talk him out of this at least once every day, like he's doing now, but the kid won't listen. Today's not different.

Bruce decides to give up on Jason for today, and instead moves to his study, where a pile of work for Wayne Enterprises is waiting for him.

He's in the middle of reviewing some boring files when he takes out his cellphone, almost without noticing that's what he's doing. He opens the contact list and his finger hovers on Dick's name. He stares at the number for 9.4 seconds before he moves to put it back in his pocket.

His relationship with Dick is still… Complicated. While it isn't outright antagonistic, it hasn't healed yet... If it's possible he would like to solve this problem without asking anyone for help.

The rest of day advances slowly, and finally it comes the time for Patrol. He stops two robberies and an attempted murder before the silhouette of a bat appears in the sky and he heads to meet Gordon.

He lands behind the man as he tries to light a cigarette “Commissioner.” The man jumps and almost drops his tobacco before turning around.

“Batman!” He scans the surroundings “I see Robin isn't with you. No one's seen the lad in almost a week, is he alright?”

Bruce grunts. “Robin is… Indisposed, he should be back in the field soon.”

Gordon sighs, then inhales a lungful of smoke.

“I hope you're right. Now, the reason you're here….”

Gordon gives him information on a new gang that's taking control of the drug trafficking in the east of Gotham. The GCPD suspects they're also involved with arms dealing and maybe other illegal busyness, and want Batman to gather information on them.

He promises he will look into it and leaves. He spends the couple of hours that are left of the night looking for leads on the new group. He gets three names and the date when some of them will meet, but he's still missing the address.

He comes back to gather more information with the computer and then finally goes upstairs.

On the way to his room he stops before Jason again. Bruce turns off the radio and puts out the fireplace. “Goodnight, Jason”.

In his room, changed on his pajamas, Bruce's hand moves for his phone again, and he stares at Dick's number other 11.5 seconds before leaving it alone and going to sleep.

He wakes up the following day, not remembering what he dreamt with. That's a good thing, this whole situation with Jason is close enough to some of his nightmares where the kids just never move again, he doesn't need more of that coming from his own mind.

“Good morning, Jason.” He greets on his way to the dining room. Alfred places the plates down as he's sitting, and he starts to eat, only glancing twice at Jason's empty chair and untouched food.

He gets ready for a meeting with Lucius and another day passes by.

It's only that afternoon, after he fails talking Jason out of staying as a sword once more, that he looks at his cellphone again.

He looks at Jason, and realizes if this continues he's going to ask Alfred to _dust_ him. And somehow it's that thought that panics him enough to take out the phone again.

If it's possible he would like the situation to be solved as quietly as possible, and if this keeps going on it's a matter of time for his colleagues to start worrying about the kid's absence too. Gordon already started to ask questions.

He knows Jason's been training with Dick for a couple of months now, if there's someone he will listen about this it's probably him. Bruce only stares to the number 6.7 seconds this time before finally getting it over with and calling.

Dick answers after the second ring.

“What do you need?”

“I need your help concerning Jason.”

“... He still won't shift?”

Alfred must have told Dick what happened if he already knows. If that's the case he decides to skip explaining the situation and goes straight to the point.

“I need you to talk with him.”

“I won't.”

“Dick, I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it's necessary.”

“Bruce, listen. I will be honest with you here, I'm on Jason's side on this.”

Bruce frowns. He wasn't expecting that.

“...Explain.”

“The kid's been Robin for almost a year now, yet you won't let him shift when working with you, not even for simple stuff. If I was in his place _I_ would be angry about it, and I don't give nearly as much importance to being a shifter as Jason does.” He hears a puff of air against the microphone “I don't agree with the way he's trying to get that point across, but he's right on this.”

“I'm not going to unnecessarily endanger Robin just because he thinks-”

“I'm not saying that. B, I know you won't swing him against any supervillain you come across as if he was invincible, and I think it's the right choice, but you aren't letting him help at all.”

“I allow him to assist me as Robin, I allow him to go out at night and fight criminals, of course I let him help.”

“You know the kind of help I mean.”

“He's more helpful as a person able to move than an inanimate object. It's not like Batman has a need for extra weaponry.”

“Maybe that's true most of the time, but you can't expect me to believe there wasn't any situation this last year where a Rapier would had come in handy. Or where one person was better than two? Or just where any other normal weapon wouldn't cut it.” There's a sound like Dick's changing the hand he's holding the phone with. “Hell, I'm not even counting surveillance or infiltration here. It would be different if you were using him sparingly, but instead you aren't using him and that's it. Let the kid help when he knows he can help.”

“There's no need. I can manage without needing Robin to shift.”

“I know working with shifters freaks you out-”

“I don't-”

“Shut up. You do, it's like your thing with metas but the opposite. If you try to deny it I _will_ hang up.”

“...”

“I know it makes you uncomfortable or whatever, honestly I don't care. Jason isn't going to crumble into dust the moment you hold him. Just let him shift when you know it will be easier with him as a Rapier, and maybe also for simple stuff like cutting a rope now and then? That's all the kid's asking for, it's kinda important for him, you know? And you can't really try to tell me letting him beat up adult men with guns is safer than some basic fencing.”

“It's not the same.”

“I think it is. I don't understand why you're like this with Jay, you never had that much of a problem using me as a tool when I- _Shit_. This is because of what happened to me, isn't it? I already told you-”

“What happened with-”

“-It wasn't that big of a deal, I can't believe-”

“-Two Face has nothing to do-”

“-You're doing this to Jason because of that, didn't we-”

“-With the subject we're-”

“-Argue about this enough already?”

“-Discussing right now.”

“Get over yourself Bruce. Don't call me again.”

Dick hangs up. This was not how Bruce expected this conversation to go.

He slumps on his seat and puts his phone down. Is he really in the wrong about this?

 

It takes another four days of this before Bruce finally caves in.

“Jason, I decided you can shift when working with me as Robin, but only when it seems to be necessary, and you will _not_ do it alone until you advance more on your training with Dick.”

He stares at the Rapier, but there still isn't any change. He closes his hands. “I… Apologize for not realizing this was so important for you.” He admits, lowering his head.

The moment he sees the sword turning back into the kid he feels a weight he didn't know was there immediately leave his shoulders.

Jason stares at him, sitting where he's been resting for the last 13 days, crossing his arms. “You mean it?” He asks, frowning.

Bruce maintains eye contact as he answers. “I mean it.”

“Oh thanks fucking _God.”_ The kid exclaims, placing his face between his hands.

“Language.” Bruce reprimands, Jason just ignores him.

“I swear I wouldn't have been able to keep that up for another day. Please _never_ let me do that again.” The kid mutters inside his hands, and Bruce finds his lips turning upwards despite himself.

He was planning on threatening Jason with permanently taking Robin away if he ever did it again, but it seems like it won't be necessary.

He still will have to make him promise he will never repeat this, but not now.

“I will go train in the cave!” He exclaims, jumping out of the coffee table. “I feel like I'm gonna die if I don't run five kilometers right now.”

“Patrol starts in five hours. Don't exhaust yourself before that!” He exclaims, as the kid runs towards the clock. Jason gives him a thumbs up before disappearing from his sight.

Bruce shakes his head. He really hopes he never has to go through anything like this again. These kids are going to be the death of him.

**Author's Note:**

> So far all the stories in this series have been abt the batfam, mostly cause they're who I have read more comics of, but I would like to focus a bit on other heroes too, after all it's called "DC Shifters AU", not "Batman Shifters AU". I was thinking maybe something with Green Lantern or Super Girl, but I'm open to suggestions, what other heroes would you like to see in this AU?! 
> 
> Please remember I need comments to survive. If you leave one, no matter how small, I will be grateful forever.
> 
> Also remember you can always send me prompts to [my Tumblr](http://lwoorl.tumblr.com), it can be for this AU or just about anything, or just shot me a message anytime, I swear I don't bite!!


End file.
